Chapter 17
Calista used to be just your average college girl–someone who would barely get a second glance in a crowded hallway. Sean, on the other hand, belonged to a world she only ever saw on TV: the golden boy of the Rangel family, born into money and privilege, untouchable.
So when Sean actually showed up in her life and asked her to play a part for him, it felt unreal, like she’d hit the jackpot. Without thinking twice, Calista said yes.
Everyone tried to warn her. They said Sean was only messing around, that he’d never take her seriously, and if she let herself fall, she’d end up shattered and alone.N
But Calista didn’t care what anyone said. She’d been crazy about Sean for as long as she could remember. From the moment she first saw him on TV, she’d made a promise to herself: if she ever married, it would be to Sean. People laughed, called her delusional. But when she finally got her shot to be close to him, she held on tight and refused to let go.”
Sean’s request was simple: she had to pretend to be his devoted girlfriend in front of Bella, to act like the perfect golden girl on his arm. At first, Calista followed along, doing exactly what he asked. But then things started to change. Sean treated her better and better–as if she really mattered, sometimes even more than Bella did.
Calista’s heart began to hope for more. She didn’t want to be just a stand–in or a pretty distraction. She wanted to be his wife, the real lady of the Rangel family.”
At first, she only dared to do little things to Bella, harmless pranks and jokes. But when she realized Sean never seemed to mind or even notice, she got bolder. She started plotting against Bella in bigger ways, and eventually, she went too far–she was even responsible for Sean’s grandfather’s death.”
Honestly, Calista wasn’t even that clever. But Sean trusted her, believed in her, every single time. And with his grandfather–the only person who really knew what happened–still in a coma, Calista felt completely safe. She never once thought she’d get caught. So when the truth finally came out, it hit her out of where. She had no excuses, no way out–just denial. She clung to the hope that if she kept saying “no,” Sean would let it go and move on, like he always did.
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But Sean wasn’t stupid. He’d only looked the other way before because he wanted to see how far Bella would go for him. As long as Calista didn’t really hurt Bella, he let things slide.
What he didn’t realize was that his indifference just made Calista braver. Around the same time, Bella started to give up on him, shutting herself off. Sean was too angry to see the truth back then.
But now, he was done ignoring everything.”
He stood up, his voice cold and final, like he was delivering a sentence. “If you love setting people up so much, you can do it from a jail cell. I’ll make sure you get the attention you deserve there.”
He put a special chill in the words “attention you deserye.“}}
Calista’s face went white with fear. Her fingers slipped from his pant leg, powerless. As she screamed and begged, sirens wailed outside, and the storm raged louder. Police flooded into the house.}
“No–please! I only did it because I love you, Sean! You can’t do this to me!“>
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She sobbed, watching him as he stood in the light from the chandelier, fixing his cufflinks, his face hidden in shadow. For a split second, she remembered that night at the ball, when he’d held her face and whispered, “Calista, I’ll love you forever.”
Now, all he said to the officers was, “You’ll find all the evidence on the table.“)
Cold metal closed around her wrists, making it real. Calista dropped her head, her voice a broken whisper. “Sean… did you really never love me? Not even a little, these last few months?“N
The cops started to drag her away, her heels cutting deep lines in the carpet.”
“Not even a little…?”
Her words disappeared into the storm beating against the front door. Sean never turned around.
Chapter 18
